1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel cell system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, fuel cells are categorized according to the kind of electrolyte that is utilized, such as, AFC, PAFC, MCFC, SOFC, and PEMFC.
Among the fuel cells, PEMFC (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell) utilizes polymers as its electrolyte. Thus, the PEMFC is not easily corroded by the electrolyte, and the polymer electrolyte, by its nature, does not evaporated. Compared with other fuel cells, the PEMFC features a high current density per unit area, outstanding power output characteristics, low temperature operation, and quick start and response.
Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-0078973 disclosed one example of the PEMFC. Referring to FIG. 1, the PEMFC includes a fuel cell stack unit 110 for simultaneously generating electric energy and heat energy out of the electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen; a fuel supply unit 120 for supplying a liquid fuel including hydrogen (H2) to an anode 113 of the fuel cell stack unit 110; an air supply unit 130 for supplying air to a cathode 114 of the fuel cell stack unit 110; an air humidifying unit 140 installed at the center of the air supply unit 130 for humidifying the air; a water circulating unit 150 for circulating water that passed through the cathode 114 of the fuel cell stack unit 110 back to the air supply unit 130; an electric energy output unit 160 for supplying an electric energy generated from the fuel cell stack unit 110; and a control unit (not shown) for properly controlling all units 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, and 160. The air supply unit 130 includes an air compressor 131 for pumping air in the atmosphere, and an air supply tube 132 via which the air compressor 131 is connected to the cathode 114 of the fuel cell stack unit 110. At the inlet of the air compressor 131 is an air filter 133 for filtering air that is sucked into.
However, the above-described fuel cell system has the following disadvantages.
Although an adsorptive filter mounted in the system is used to remove possible impurities (dust, NOx, SOx, Organic solvents, etc.) contained in air that is supplied to the fuel cell and thus, to make sure impurity-free air is supplied to the stack, the filter itself is not an fundamental solution for enhancing the performance of the fuel cell, but simply an equipment supplying a clean air without the notion of control.